Earl Brown's Triple Threat rocked the new Blue Iguana in West Tampa

Earl Brown's Triple Threat rocked the new Blue Iguana in West Tampa.

 

WEST TAMPA: This past weekend on both Friday & Saturday, Earl Brown’s Triple Threat Band Performed at the newly opened Blue Iguana, located in West Tampa at 4235 North Armenia Ave. As I promised to the Bar Manager, Entertainment Director, and the band themselves, I planned on attending the bands Friday performance. Unfortunately  I was running late getting to the show due to running behind at another bar, reviewing another band. The band was actually nice enough to hold off from starting their next set, and extending their break until I arrived at the venue to hear them perform. What was even more impressive then that though, was the way Earl Brown’s Triple Threat sounded once they hit the stage...

 

Before we get to the review however, let’s take a short look at the band themselves. Earl Brown’s Triple Threat is a 3 piece rock band that tends to lean more towards the blues & funk style of rock. The band consists of the following musicians:

Earl Brown has been playing & performing in the Tampa Bay music scene since 1980. Brown was a member of several bands throughout years including the popular Tampa Bay 80's band, Wise Guy. Brown credits his influences as being Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, and Randy Rhoads...just to name a few.

 

Rafael “Tazz” Siacca Started playing music in 1969 at the young age of 13 in Cuba. His first real gig was at his Sisters graduation dance that same year, where his band was paid $20.00 each. Siacca moved to the Panama Canal Zone In 1972, and then North to the United States in 1975. Once in the States, Siacca joined various bands. Some of the bands Siacca has been with include: The Rex Rodgers Band, the Pat Travers Band, Glenn Mancini's Voodoo Soup (originals and Hendrix tribute), and The Trunk Band (Allman Brothers tribute). Siacca has toured all over the U.S. as well as Canada, South America, and the Caribbean.

 

T.J. “Roxx” Williams Has opened for both STYX and Cheap Trick, has been writing music with the Little River Band, and once won an award for “Best Drummer” in 1996.

 

Show review - Blue Iguana - Friday, February 4th, 2011:

 

Once Earl Brown’s Triple Threat band took the stage on Friday night, they took it hostage! This band marched up onto the stage like they were marching into battle, with the only acceptable outcome being victory! Victory was achieved that night by the band...a very successful victory of putting on one of the greatest performances I have ever seen. The only local band that I have seen as of recent that had put on a show as well as them (showmanship wise), was when Wikkid played the Banana Boat a couple of weeks ago...and even Wikkid didn’t come close to the energy that Earl Brown's Triple Threat had on stage on Friday!

 

Unfortunately there was not that many people there that night to witness it. The Blue Iguana is a brand new club, only opening a couple of short weeks ago, without much word of mouth. But this did not by any means hinder the band from performing like they were in front of a sold out arena. After all, the show must go on!

 

Earl Brown’s Triple Threat is probably the most improvisational local rock cover band I have ever heard. Not one single song that they did that night was like the original. They would extend each and every song with jazz like musical breaks...almost like a live jam session within each song. Not to mention subtly changing the melody of some of the songs, in order to give them a uniqueness all to their own. Like I told Earl Brown myself after the show:

 

 

Too many bands now-a-days just play each and every song the way it was originally done by the original artist, leaving no room for artistic and creative improvisation....but not this band!

 

Though all three members of the band possessed amazing stage presence that night, Earl Brown was simply dripping with it! It’s instantly obvious to anyone who watches Earl Brown perform, that Brown is heavily influenced by Jimi Hendrix...there is no doubt about that. While Emulating one of his musical heros to near perfection, about the only thing Brown did not do that night, was light his guitar on fire while on stage. Brown is a good vocalist, and an amazing guitarist with energetic stage presence to match!

 

Rafael “Tazz” Siacca is an amazing bass player. The thumping and melodic bass lines that emanate from his guitar are simply infectious to the ear. When Siacca starts improvising & jamming...you take instant notice and satisfaction in it!

 

T.J. “Roxx” Williams is the newest member of the band, only having played a couple of live shows with them before that night. He is definitely something to see behind the drum kit. He flails his arms about while beating the drums like a wild man...twirling the sticks between beats is a constant, entertaining routine with T.J.....The whole time with a constant smile on his face.

 

The band executed some amazing covers of several Jimi Hendrix songs that night, as well as ZZ Top. They closed out the night with a very impressive and moving version of the Prince classic, “Purple Rain”. They changed up the melody of the intro just subtle enough to make it different and unique...yet still possessing that original feeling of the song. As a matter of fact, they did such a beautiful job on the classic ballad that, even though I was technically working, I had to ask Dina Mead of Bay Area Band Source, and the new "Entertainment Director" of the Blue Iguana, to dance with me.

 

 

Earl Brown’s Triple Threat is an amazingly energetic, talented, and skilled band. They put on a great show, and leave you wanting more at the end of the show.

 

Check out the amazing pictures taken from that nights performance in the slideshow section of this article.

 

For more information on Keith Wilkins, please check out the Keith Wilkins official Facebook fan page. For more information on KAM Music Publishing, please check out the official MySpace & Facebook pages. Follow Keith's Examiner.com column on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter for local live music & bar news updates. Don't miss a single article, subscribe to Keith's St. Petersburg Live Music Bar Scene Examiner column now by clicking on the button at the top of the page.

Want to learn more about Examiner.com Columnist Keith Wilkins? Read part 1 & part 2 of an interview with Keith Wilkins that was published in the San Antonio Single Parenting Examiner Column on October 4th & October 6th, 2010.